Quiote Mezcaleria - Tasting Room — Restaurant in Oaxaca

A fantastic mezcaleria in a town full of good ones. There are plenty of places to drink mezcal in Oaxaca, but Quiote is a special one. Celia and Omar (the owners and people you'll most often find behind the bar) have put together a fantastic library of small batch mezcals. By visiting the producers and using their knowledge of mezcal, they've assembled a thoughtful collection that will appeal to new comers and impress experienced mezcal nerds like me. And equally importantly, if you're new, they will graciously educate you without any pretense or snobbery. At a time when mezcal has become sort of trendy, they eschew attitude and are simply welcoming and helpful.

Their location, in the Xochimilco neighborhood, is a short walk off of the downtown area on a pedestrian friendly street. Located upstairs, Quiote is a nice bright room with big windows. It's typically lively enough to be fun but also serene enough to be able to easily converse and hear. Of course you can just drop by and have a copita of mezcal, but calling in advance and scheduling a tasting would be my recommendation. There are 3 tasting levels available, from the introductory where you get to try and learn about four mezcals, to the more advanced and more tastes levels.

At the introductory level? The four pours and knowledge you'll obtain cost no more than a single copita of quality mezcal would cost you in the USA. I've told friends that a visit there will likely have them finding the "best mezcal they've ever tasted", and so far nobody has proven me wrong. (And if you find that best mezcal you've ever tasted, you can also buy a bottle from Quiote to bring home.). Do yourself a favor and visit...

A favourite place of mine in Oaxaca II have visited many times, sometimes to just hang out but also to try Celias unique Mezcal tastings. Most mezcalerias plant a filght of mezcals in front of you and tell you what you should 'like'. Celia takes a very different and personal approach She starts by asking what you normally drink , as the best mezcals dont make it out of Oaxaca, so even if you have had mezcal before, you will be surprised by the number of different types and processes that make great mezcal . Based on your drink of choice, Celia will tailor a tasting to match your tastes. There is no right or wrong with Celia, she has something for you, from her extensive selection of mezcals, with some having a production run of as little as 20 bottles

There is always good music and good conversation, whether from Celia or her trusted staff or people who are there for a tasting. You can wander in and she will help you, or book a tasting.

If you are in Oaxaca, its...

Other mezcalerias in Oaxaca might be fancier or more famous, but the mezcal I drank at Quiote was definitely the rarest and most delicious I encountered in the city. My Spanish is decent but not great, so it was a rare treat to meet Aiden, a native English speaker from my onetime home of San Francisco, curating the pours from behind the bar. He was extremely knowledgable in both the science and poetry of mezcal, and I picked up a ton detailed information from him during my three-hour visit. As he was giving me the lowdown his Oaxacena gf sat at a table nearby, running business operations from her laptop. (Aiden also recommended a mezcal tour with Omar of Gracias Oaxaca, which my friends and I took a few days later. It was excellent and also recommended.)

The entire Quiote experience was superlative. Ultimately I wish I spent more time and more money at this place! I'll definitely return the next time I'm...